Chapter 001: The Lamb Skewer Vendor (This chapter is free)

In the West District Farmers Market of Zhonghai City, the bustling pedestrians and vehicles moved about enthusiastically in the evening. The ground, strewn with vegetable leaves and sewage, was lined with various shops whose signs were faded and peeling. Occasionally, a few monotonous neon lights flickered. Workers returning home, children finishing school, elderly people buying groceries, and all sorts of weary passersby made the gray sky seem even more oppressive.

Perhaps in such a major international city, this area, like a stain in people's hearts, was something they hoped had never existed.

Near a crossroads, a short wall stood, and there, a man was leisurely engaged in what others considered a less than respectable job.

This was a young man selling lamb skewers, wearing a white tank top that was covered in oil stains and soot, with a pair of brown shorts and a pair of dull blue plastic sandals.

The young man's hair was a bit messy, but his face, though slightly mature, was still handsome and well-featured. If one looked closely, there was a certain manly charm. Unfortunately, no matter how he looked, the girls passing by on the street wouldn't give him a second glance, for he was just a lamb skewer vendor.

The young man placed a few freshly grilled skewers to the side. The weather was hot, making it easy to grill, but hard to sell. Although two skewers for fifty cents was quite cheap, he had only earned a dozen or so yuan by the end of the day, just enough for two meals.

However, the young man's face showed no signs of disappointment. Instead, he wore a content and relaxed expression as he sat on a small stool behind him, watching the busy and anxious scene before him, which seemed to him like the most beautiful landscape.

"Old Li, the money you promised a few days ago should be paid now!" A voice like a duck's suddenly appeared from the side.

Three boys, who looked to be under twenty, approached, dressed in a rough and unruly manner. The leader had spiky hair, a silver chain, and several holes in his jeans. His face was somewhat gaunt, and he had a cigarette in his mouth.

Old Li was a vendor selling fried snacks, right next to the young man. Like him, he had little business in the hot weather and was sitting there, worried.

"Well..." Old Li's face was grim. "My little master, please be lenient. With such hot weather and no business, how can I pay you the money..."

"Old Li, don't be ungrateful. If it weren't for Brother Feng protecting you, your stall would have been torn down long ago," one of the followers threatened and flattered at the same time.

The young thug called Brother Feng looked very pleased, grinned, and patted the small flatterer. Then he turned to Old Li and said, "Today's protection fee, whether you pay or not, I must get the money. Otherwise, I'll tear down your stall right now!" He then took a sausage skewer, took two big bites, and threw the remaining half on the ground.

Old Li was at a loss, clutching a small stack of paper bills in his pocket. That was the money for his wife's medicine, and he couldn't bear to "respect" these ruffians with it.

"I'll pay for him." The young man selling lamb skewers suddenly walked over, took out a few crumpled bills from his pocket, which wouldn't add up to more than a hundred yuan, and handed them over, saying indifferently, "That's all I have. Old Li is old and needs the money urgently. You should do some good deeds."

The young thug squinted and laughed, took the bills, and handed them to his follower, "Yang Chen, you're still pretending to be a good guy, but you haven't even paid your own protection fee yet!"

Yang Chen frowned, feeling a bit sorry for these young boys who, at such a young age, didn't study but became thugs. However, he wasn't their father and didn't want to cause trouble, so he said calmly, "Tomorrow, I'll pay tomorrow."

"Alright, I'm not unreasonable. Let's cooperate. I protect your business, and you pay me. It's only fair... I'll come back tomorrow to collect." With that, the young thug and his two followers swaggered off to harass other small vendors.

Old Li's eyes were already red, looking at Yang Chen with a bitter expression, "Little Yang, why do you do this? You keep paying for those lackeys, and I can't bear it..."

"Old Li, don't say that. When I first came here, I didn't know anyone. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have a single friend to talk to. You're my benefactor, and I'm repaying you."

"You, this young man... what can I say..." Old Li seemed to know he couldn't persuade Yang Chen and could only sigh.

Yang Chen smiled, a faint but genuine smile, unaffected by the extortion, "By the way, how is your wife's condition?"

Old Li's eyes were full of gratitude, "Thanks to the money you lent me for her surgery, she just needs to go for check-ups and take some medicine now."

"Oh, that's good. I wish her a quick recovery," Yang Chen nodded in satisfaction.

Old Li smiled bitterly, "Little Yang, I'll definitely pay you back. If I die before I can, I'll have my daughter pay you... sigh, if it weren't for me, your hundred thousand yuan could have opened a decent store. You wouldn't have to sell lamb skewers and put up with those thugs."

Yang Chen pursed his lips, "I actually like this life. Selling lamb skewers isn't bad; it's simple and I can earn a few meals."

"I say, you..." Old Li said with a bit of frustration, "Little Yang, you're only twenty-three or twenty-four. At your age, other young men are either in college or working hard to advance. You don't even have a girlfriend. Do you plan to sell lamb skewers forever? I'm worried for you."

Seeing Old Li's genuine concern, Yang Chen couldn't help but feel a bit bitter. He wasn't unconcerned, but he hadn't really thought about those things.

After nightfall, Yang Chen packed up his stall and pushed his single-wheeled cart back to his dilapidated apartment.

It was an old building, and the monthly rent was only a hundred yuan. It was so cheap because no one lived there, but Yang Chen, seeing the low price, moved in without worrying about the building collapsing.

Yang Chen's room was sparsely furnished, with almost everything being second-hand items he had picked up from outside: a bed, a cabinet, a chair, and a TV that only received the national channel.

After pushing the stall items into his room, Yang Chen glanced at the calendar on the wall, calculated the date, and suddenly remembered something. He immediately ran into the bathroom.

Within five minutes, after a cold shower, Yang Chen walked out of the bathroom, his skin a healthy tan, with well-proportioned lines. Each muscle wasn't very prominent, but upon closer inspection, one could sense a latent masculine beauty.

He walked to the large wooden cabinet by the bed, scratched his wet hair in frustration, and after selecting a few items, finally put on a light yellow shirt, a light linen pants, and his plastic sandals.

After leaving the room, Yang Chen headed straight for the most bustling commercial street in the West District, the only street in the dilapidated area that could be considered presentable, known as the "Bar Street."

The nightlife was already in full swing, with colorful skirts and a variety of perfumes. As soon as he entered the bar street, the urban atmosphere enveloped him.

Unlike other young men who either openly or secretly ogled the women's legs, Yang Chen walked straight to a bar called "ROSE."

The neon sign of the bar wasn't particularly dazzling, but it had a certain charm, with colorful rose-shaped lights adorning the sign.

Inside the bar, Yang Chen walked familiarly to the bar counter and sat in a corner.

"Brother Chen, you're here." The young bartender in a black suit vest smiled warmly and offered him a glass of water, "Sister Rose has been waiting for you for a long time."

Yang Chen smiled and took a sip of water, "Is Sister Rose angry? I came home a bit late, so I'm a bit late."

"Not angry, not angry," Xiao Zhao's round face, with a few pimples, seemed to be smiling along with his words. He whispered to Yang Chen, "Brother Chen, when you have time, teach me how you managed to charm Sister Rose. You know, the men interested in our boss in Zhonghai City could line up from the West District to the sea. She hasn't shown such interest in a man for years. Today, she's already asked me five times if you've come..."

"Don't talk nonsense. There's nothing between me and Sister Rose like you think..." Yang Chen replied with a faint, helpless tone.

Xiao Zhao had a "I don't believe you" expression and then sighed, "Sigh... Brother Chen, to be honest, you're really cool. To charm a woman as beautiful as our boss, any man would be all over her. But you, you come so rarely and still make her wait. They say what you can't get is the best, and it applies to women too..."

Just as Xiao Zhao was waxing poetic, a soft yet authoritative voice came from behind him, "Xiao Zhao, how many more times can I dock your salary?"

Xiao Zhao seemed to be electrocuted, instantly dumbfounded. When he came to his senses, he quickly moved to the side, pretending to mix drinks seriously, as if nothing had happened, but the cold sweat on his forehead betrayed his fear.

Dressed in a modern, gorgeous qipao, the woman exuded a seductive and authoritative charm. The qipao, with its high slit revealing her thighs, accentuated her full chest and slender waist. Her face, smooth and delicate like a carefully crafted porcelain, was framed by shoulder-length hair with a few strands of light purple. This woman, like a painting come to life, gracefully walked to Yang Chen.

Yang Chen smiled, meeting her gaze without awkwardness, and said sincerely, "Sister Rose, you look beautiful. Happy birthday."

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